Why is Chief Luisah Teish's approach radical?

Like us, Chief Teish believes that in order to become the most effective agents of radical change, we must find, honor and fulfill each of our unique purposes. Let’s start by clearing some things up though...

We are NOT “New Age” - THIS APPROACH IS RADICAL and Rooted

There is so much fluff out there about “finding our life purpose” and we are tired of hearing it.

Why? Because the people talking about “purpose” are too scared to address the systemic violence and power structures that have been created to oppress us (racism, classism, ableism, homophobia etc). Because they are too mainstream to address the intricacies of cultural contexts, ancestral inheritance and how that influences life purpose. Because they do not acknowledge the acts of cultural appropriation and theft committed by the New Age and Self-Development industries.

We are not floating, boundless amoebas - as some would have us believe.

We are embodied humans. The boundlessness preached by some spiritual seekers is a kind of escape -- one that allows us to get away with ignoring our root challenges. The challenges of having a body and being human. We are complex and intricate creations born into familial, political and cultural contexts that shape us. That fuel us. That empower us. That inspire or break us. That destroy us and allow us to be reborn so we can restructure or re-imagine. We cannot leave our lives behind. We cannot be disembodied in our pursuit of purpose. In fact, it is through deep embodiment and the critical observation of our lives -- and their specifics -- that we can truly recover our purpose. In these human bodies, we are not “boundless.” Yet we are wells of depth. We are wells of power - personal and collective. And the expansion or boundlessness we seek can only come as a result of diving into the depths of our deepest waters: once we understand what it means to be human -- not escape it.

For this reason, we have chosen Chief Luisah Teish to bring you a radical perspective on finding life purpose.

One that takes into account all aspects of ourselves (personal, familial, cultural, political) as important pieces of the journey of discovery. One that is deeply embodied. One that addresses race, class, gender and the like. One that speaks to who we each are and how our very gifts, challenges and purposes are in fact shaped by the ways in which all of these human factors interact in a single body.